ALICE

ALICE® is a United Way acronym that stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed and represents those individuals and families who are working but still struggling to make ends meet.

Your child care worker, the cashier at your supermarket, the salesperson at your big box store, your waitress, a home health aide, an office clerk... anyone can be living under the ALICE threshold. These families cannot always pay the bills, have little or nothing to put into savings and are forced to make tough choices such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent. One unexpected car repair or medical bill can push these financially strapped families over the edge.

ALICE is a hardworking member of the community who is employed yet does not earn enough to afford the basic necessities of life.

ALICE earns above the federal poverty level, but does not earn enough to afford a bare-bones household budget of housing, child care, food, transportation, and health care. The United Way Virginia ALICE Report use new measures to provide a more accurate picture of financial insecurity at the state, county, and municipal level. Check out the report to see how much it costs to live in your area ...